Existentialism
Jean Paul Sartre(1905 - 1980)
Psychoanalytic dialogue
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Nous
sommes un condamné à mort qui se prépare bravement au
dernier supplice, qui met tous ses soins à faire belle
figure sur l'échafaud et qui, entre temps, est enlevé
par une grippe espagnole. |
 A:
I want something to come to a definite conclusion. Up
till now I've followed all your orders; now you should try
to. . . anyway, I don't see why. . .
DR X: Now if you please. . . we are agreed; there, we'll stop
here. You'll regret this.
A: Are you frightened on this tape-recorder then?
DR X: I don't want it near me. I'm not going along with this.
A: but why not?At least explain to me why not. Are you afraid
of the tape-recorder?
DR X: Cut it out!
A: You are cutting me off?Now this is interesting, you are
bringing up the question of "cutting"again. A moment
ago you were talking about my penis being cut off - and now
you're the one who's doing the cutting.
DR X: Listen!I've had enough of this tape recorder!
A: How do you mean?
DR X: Either you take it out of the room, or the interview
is over.
Agreed?I would certainly like to explain to you what I was
going to explain - but as things stand, either you take this
tape recorder outside, or I'll refuse to say another word.
I'm sorry but that's how it it.
A: I think you are frightened!I think you're frightened and
that's silly because what I've just done is in your interests;
without making a fuss about it I'm taking a big risk and I'm
doing it for you and for lots of other people. But I want
to get to the bottom of this whole mystification and intend
to go on.
Dr X: Fine, well then. . .
A: No!stay where you are, Doctor!You're going to stay there
and you're not going to pick up that phone; you're going to
stay where you are an above all don't start threatening me
with the straight -jacket.
Dr X: I won't threaten you so long you leave this room
A: I will not leave this room!I'm calling you to account.
I mean it - you'd better be able to account for yourself.
And I'm not doing do purely on my behalf, but on behalf of.
. . Come on now - sit down; don't let's get angry. You'll
see. . . you won't be hurt. I'm not out to get you. Come on,
calm down. Sit down. . . you don't want to?Very well then,
let's stay standing. Right then, let's get back to my "penis
being cut off"- wasn't that the expression?My father
wanted to cut off my. . . Wasn't that it?
Dr X: Listen!At the moment you're not in state for a discussion.
A: Of course I am!You're the one who doesn't want to talk.
You're the one who's not in a state for discussion.
Dr X: I've asked you to put away your tape-recorder.
A: But my tape recorder isn't a tai, you know. It's a listening
device that keeps a benevolent check on us.
Dr X: I was trying to explain something to you. . .
A: Right, Carry on.
Dr X: And then suddenly, instead of trying to understand. .
.
A: Because you were about to drop a capital remark, the sort
of thing you've been stuffing my head with for years, and
I don't want you now to try and get out of it by dodging the
issue - or should I say, by avoiding your responsibility for
the hundredth= time.
Dr X: Your responsibility, you mean.
A: What?
Dr X: At the moment you want to make me responsible for thins
that are your own responsibility.
A: Not at all!I'm making a study at the moment, a scientific
study
Dr X: Perhaps you are.
A: Good, then, let's continue. No doubt you know that things
run far more efficiently when you can use a tape- recorder
for there studies. You're freer; you don; t have to take notes.
We're getting somewhere.
Dr X: This is not the place to carry out scientific studies!
A: But it is! I thought I was the guest of a man of science,
and now I 'd like to know just what the science it is he practices,
for I have m doubts about this 'science' - it may be nothing
but charlatanism.
Dr X: Well, I have the right to refuse to talk in from of a
tape-recorder.
A: Of course you have the right, and you're not backward
in exercising it; many thanks. . . You feel you're being accused;
you're talking like an American who won't make a statement
unless he has his lawyer with him. . . Sit down!
Dr X: I'm ready to talk to you and explain things to you.
A: Fine, let's carry on then!
Dr X: But I'm not ready to talk in front of a tape-recorder.
A: But why were you just about to telephone?
Dr X: Because I had told you that if you insisted on using a
tape-recorder, you had to get out.
A: But why?Why were you going to telephone?
Dr X: Because I had told you that if you insisted on using a
tape-recorder you had to get out.
A: But why did you. . . You can't have me put away, you know!If
anyone deserves to be put away, it's you - that's if we are
trying to find out who's unbalanced.
Dr X: I. . . I. . . This really is. . .
A: Listen, I've got nothing against you. I don; t want to
harm you; on the contrary. .
Dr X: Right then, we're agreed. Turn off your tape-recorder.
A: This is fun, isn't it; except that I wish you stopped
being frightened. . .
Dr X: I don't think this is fun
A: But you're frightened. And your libido, what are you
doing about that?Do you think that I want to cut off your
little willie?Of course I don't!I'm here to give you a real.
. . But this is fantastic!You've had this little occasion
coming to you for a long time. Listen, admit that you're getting
out of it very nicely. Doctor!!!Doctor, I've got nothing against
you, but you obviously have. . . you've got something against
yourself.
Dr X: At this moment you are. . .
A: I've got nothing against you , but I feel you abuse your
position. Yes'that's it, You have abused me. I would even
go so far to say that you have defrauded me, if we're going
to use legal jargon: you haven't met your obligations. You
don't know how to cure people - you only know how to make
them worse. That's a fact - all we need is ask your other
patients, your 'patients', or people you call your patients,
people who come to you for help and get nothing, who get nothing
but one long wait. . . Vome on, sit down!Let's be reasonable.
Let's be reasonable!There. Are you a man or a mouse?Are you
a man?
Dr X: For the last time, you've got a tape recorder there and
I won't put up with it.
A: I'm sorry, I have to repeat that I pulled this tape recorder
out - to use your words - because I didn't like the way you
suddenly demanded that we drop the question of castration.
Dr X: Well I'd certainly be willing to discuss the question
of castration, if that is in fact your real problem, but I
won; t say anything in front of a tape-recorder.
A: Fine, well we won; t talk about it; we'll wait until you
change your mind. You; re trapped.
Dr X: What do you ope to get out of trapping me?
A: I have nothing to loose!
Dr X: Maybe.
A: You're frightened!Come on now, Johnny. Buck up, eh?You
don; t want to?
Dr X: You don; t regard this as a serious situation?
A: It; s terribly serious. Tht's why it could be much better
if you'd put up a different face on it than the one you are.
. . I'd have to have a nerve to let myself in for such a thing!Yet
even so I need to be absolutely sure. . .
Dr X: No, you don; t have to be sure, If you were sure you wouldn't
be acting like that!Now let me go; this is a highly dangerous
situation.
A: Dangerous?
Dr X: Yes, you're dangerous.
A: I'm not dangerous at all; you're only saying that. You
never stop trying to make me believe I'm dangerous, but I
'm not in the least bit dangerous.
Dr X: You're dangerous because you don't have a grasp on reality!
A: That's not true.
Dr X: You don't have a grasp on reality!
A: I'm a little lamb. I've always been as gentle as a lamb.
Dr X: You don't have a grasp on reality!
A: You're the one who's dangerous. It's he who says it who
is it!
Dr X:
You don't have a grasp on reality!
A: What is this "reality"?
Dr X: At
the moment you're dangerous, because you don't have a grasp
on reality.
A: But what is "reality"? We have to agree on our
definitions first. I know one thing, from the point of view
of your reality, and that is that you are very angry, you're
having difficulty controlling yourself - you're going to explode
any minute. You're going to snap; you're under pressure, you're
getting yourself into a state that helps no one. I've got
nothing against you; you've got no reason to be angry. I'm
not your father!
Dr X:
You've got your tape-recorder there!
A: So?
Dr X: Switch
it off!
A: Come on, it's not so bad as all that. Does it frighten
you?It's not a gun.
Dr X: Switch
it off!
A: Are you frightened?
Dr X: Switch
it off!
A: What do you mean witch it off?
Dr X: I
don't like this sort of interview.
A: Now listen, do you want a spanking?
Dr X: There,
you see, you're dangerous.
A: No I'm not, I'm simply asking you this question: would
you mind stop acting like a child?
Dr X:
I tell you you're dangerous.
A: And I'm telling you you're acting like a child.
Dr X: And
you're going to show me what for, I can see.
A: No, I'm not going to show you what for.
Dr X: Switch
it off!
A: But what do you mean - "Switch it off!"?
Dr X: I've
got nothing more to say to you, you're dangerous.
A: What do you mean, you've got nothing more to say?You've
got to square account with me.
Dr X: I've
asked you to go.
A: I'm sorry!I've no intention of going!
Dr X: See
how dangerous you are!
A: I'm not dangerous. All I'm doing is raise my voice and
you can't take it. If someone starts shouting, you get frightened,
don't you?When you hear shouting you loose your cool. You're
terrified - it's your daddy shouting at you (the two men
are now standing within inches of each other), but all
I'm doing here, Johnny, is shouting to show you that it's
not serious this time. Now you see, you've got over your fear
already. There!You've overcome your fear. That's better, isn't
it?You're all right now. That's better. You see it's not all
that serious: I'm not your father. And I could shout some
more, but I won't. There, that's enough.
Dr X: Are
you mimicking your father at the moment?
A: No, come on, I'm mimicking yours!The one I can see in
your eyes.
Dr X: You're
trying to play the part of. . .
A: I don't want to play any part with you; all I want is
to be free of the pain you put me through!Now it's you who's
shitting in your pants!Of course!Look at you - what ar you
folding your arms like that for?You're protecting yourself.
Do you really think I want to hit you?Where did you get that
idea from?I'm far off too reasonable for that!I've got myself
under control; I don't want to do what you'd like me to do.
Things would be much simpler then, wouldn't they?I'd hit you;
I'd be in the wrong; I'd have started it; I would have done
something which would give you the power to. . . who knows?.
. . to play the doctor, yes, to play the psychiatrist.
If I'm threatening anyone,
it's not little Johnny, but the sadistic doctor. . . Not little
Johnny. He's suffered enough already. I have no wish to hit
him - but the doctor, the psychiatrist, the one who took the
place of my father, he deserves a good kick in the pants.
Now let me explain. Sit down. No?You don't want to?
Dr X: You
can speak. I won't. I've told you that I. . .
A: All right then, I'll speak. So, there you are!I wanted
to say this the moment I pulled out the tape-recorder - I
only pulled it out to speak, because I had something to say.
Obviously you can be recorded too, if you like - I'll send
you a transcription. You should find it very interesting.
Well I hope you will, anyway.
. . Well, here we go!You can't get better lying on that thing!
( pointing his finger at the psychoanalyst couch
); it's impossible!You can't get better yourself because you
have spent too many years on it. You're scared of looking
people in the face. A moment ago you started to tell me how
I had to 'face up to my fantasies". I could never have
faced up to anything!You made me turn my back on you. You
can't cure people like that. It would never work, because
in fact living with other people means knowing how to look
at them in the face. What did you think I'd learn on that
couch?THe way things are, you've robbed even of my wish to
live with others or to face up to anything, and that's your
problem!That's why you make people lie down like that!Because
you can't look them in the face. You can't cure them; all
you can do is palm off on them your own father-figure problems
the ones you've never been able to come to terms with. From
one session o another you drag your victims along like this
with your father-problem, don't you?Do you see what I'm trying
to say?And I've had a terrible time trying to understand this
and get out of it. You've certainly made me perform some mental
gymnastics. A few at any rate - and you have to agree, it
cost me quite a lot, if that's all it was!But there is worse:
you've robbed me of my ability to face up things by promising
me. . . I put myself in your hands, but because I couldn't
see you I had no idea when you were finally going to give
me what I had come here to get. I was waiting for your authorization.
That's what I was doing!You would have been stupid to give
it to me wouldn't you?, to get me out of it, since I was keeping
you; you lived off me, you sucked me dry - I was the patient,
and you were the doctor, and in the end you'd turned your
own childhood problem over to me - I was the child and you
were the father. . . You had all the rights, didn't you?You
had the right to have me put away at some time, well not perhaps
me, but other people anyway. . .
Dr X: I
was dialing 999 to have you taken out of here -999, the police,
to get rid of you.
A: The police?Daddy?So that's it!Your daddy was a policeman.
And you were ringing daddy to come and get me.
Dr X: Because
in my opinion. . .
A: But listen, this is interesting. Why did you want to ring
for the police?You would have missed all this. You have to
admit. . .
Dr X: You're
a qualified lawyer. . .
A: . . . that I was right to stop you.
Dr X: When
someone refuses to leave your home you call the police.
A: You're right. That's a fact. You brought me here, you
drew me into your little sanctum, your little cave. . .
Dr X: I
asked you to go.
A: Listen!If you take the floor to say things like that,
then you might as well let me go on because if you don't we're
going to get fed up, we're going to waste time, agreed?
If you've really got something
important to say, you should say it, all right?Of course you
should come out with it. It's a fact - you're a mass of inhibitions.
But if you can say is you're calling the police or you wanted
to call them, then that's something we really should analyse.
All right then, is that better?
(speaking in a very calm and gentle voice)All right
now?
Dr X: No
(he gets up), you're going to go and listen to that
tape-recorder you've got.
A: No, no, no, no, that's not the important thing now. Just
a look at how you reacted - what a fuss!You've got yourself
all worked up just going on here. It doesn't make sense. Besides
you haven't really explained why - you don't want
to be recorded. Wouldn't you like to tell me why you're so
angry?I'll tell you why - because suddenly there I was, in
control if something!That's why. Up to now you were accustomed
to having total control over the situation, and then suddenly
a new element is introduced, and upsets things.
Dr X: I'm
not used to physical violence.
A: What do you mean - "physical violence"?
Dr X: Pulling
down that tape-recorder was a violent act.
A: An act of physical violence?(Utter astonishment)
Dr X: Besides,
you're perfectly well aware it was - all you have to do is
look where my telephone is to see there has been physical
violence. (The telephone ended up on the floor after the
previous episode: "You're not going to pick up that phone")
A: Now listen, are you serious?Did you enjoy saying what
you just said?Are you happy now?I want to be sure you're all
right. Are you feeling OK?Everything is working?Ooh, ooh.
. . (using baby language)Doctor!(speaking every
softly and gently)Coo-coo. . . Come on, you've got to
say something; don't you want to tell me?Well!Just look at
this situation!It's ridiculous!Let's try to rise to the occasion,
will we?
Dr X: Look
- all this you've just been saying - what you were just explaining
to me. . .
A: Yes?What?
Dr X: you
would do well to listen to it over again.
A: Of course - and you as well- to listen to your silence.
. . You're the one who is repressed, since you can't speak.
I pull out a tape-recorder and all of a sudden you cut off!That
was the image you used - you said: 'Cut it out. 'well you've
cut out your own game, haven't you, the way a murderer cuts
out when he gives himself up. I'm not cutting out; on the
contrary, I want to carry on, I want us to get closer to the
truth. . .
Dr X: Your
time is up; you'll have to go.
A: No!time doesn't exist!
Dr X: Yes
it does!
A: No it doesn't. . . We'll have a good time from now on,
believe me.
Dr X: You
have now explained me something - well, all you have to do
is draw the right conclusions from it. But you have explained
something. . .
A: Yes?
Dr X: .
. . that you should have understood a long time ago.
A: What?
Dr X: Your
attitude.
A: What do you mean my attitude?
Dr X: Your
attitude, what you've just explained. . .
A: My attitude?What about yours? - (buzz at the door)you
think you can just cut me off
Dr X: What
you have just explained is your attitude. Did you hear that?Someone
else is waiting to see me.
A: What do I care?The next victim's in no hurry.
Dr X: Well,
I do care.
A: (speaking stiffly and authoritatively): We will
not leave this room until matters have been cleared up concerning
what has taken place and the problem of your responsibilities
and your failure to meet them. Don't talk to me about physical
violence; it was you who began the physical violence by forcing
me to lie down on that couch; it was you who twisted me, who
turned my head upside down. It was you who distorted things,
don't you realize that?don't you realize that all of a sudden
you look ridiculous?There's something beyond this moment here
now!There's something shameful about your present, infantile
behaviour!
Dr X: You
see how dangerous you are; I told you that you were dangerous.
A: Doctor X, you're a clown!. . . and an ominous clown at
that!You are dodging the issue. . . I've come two or three
times a week to you for I don't know ow many years, and what
have you given me?If I'm mad and dangerous as you say I am
at the moment, all you're doing is reaping what you've sown,
what you've invested with your erroneous theory. Take note
of that. And after all, this little scare should do you a
lot of good - all I'm asking you to do is think a bit about
what you're doing: it's sort of a little assignment I'm setting
you - it's not at all that serious!It's not going to hurt
you!
Ce
qu'on fait n'est jamais compris mais seulement loué ou blâmé.
Nietzsche, Gay Science |
